


Wild Space: Tyrool

by Heartless_Zabrak



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Familial Relationships, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:01:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28691379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heartless_Zabrak/pseuds/Heartless_Zabrak
Summary: **There wasn't enough Maul content in The Clone Wars, so I made some more. This starts as an alternate ending for Season 5, Episode 1, "Revival".After the battle on Florrum, Darth Maul and Savage Opress escape with their ship intact, but it is a major setback to Maul's plans. He directs them into Wild Space, to lay low and collect supplies, and make a base for them away from the eyes of the Jedi as Maul prepares to form the Shadow Collective. Savage needs more training, and Maul is still on the look out for underlings to serve him.
Relationships: Darth Maul & Savage Opress
Comments: 15
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! 
> 
> This is my first Star Wars fic, so please be gentle. I wanted there to be more character build-up with Maul before he meets with Death Watch. Instead of him and Savage going into a stasis, I decided to write a detour for Maul and Savage, and sort of set up an Alternate Universe to make some changes to canon, and adding my headcanons to different species, planets and other pieces of lore. If people enjoy this one, I will write other chapters based on other characters from Clone Wars.

It was a close call after the fight on Florrum. Obi-Wan had an insufferable ability to make friends, even with pirates. Even though they managed to escape with minimal injuries, their ship had taken some damage. 

The little shuttle made it out of the atmosphere and took off deeper into neutral space. Maul was furious, radiating a deep, caustic hatred that caused Savage to shrink away when Maul's eyes happened to land on him. Maul muttered heartedly to himself, seething whispers of blame and promises of revenge. 

Finally, when Maul knew they weren't being followed, and he was nearly ready to hyper jump, he flicked through the map of neutral space. He hissed through his teeth as his legs sent alarming bursts of pain to his brain, trying to alert him to the damage done. Finally, he selected what looked like an empty section, out in wild space, and set the ship off into a jump. 

Savage groaned from the drag against his tired and battered body, but Maul was eerily silent as they went through the hyper jump. The drive for the ship was a mere class 8, one of the slowest systems, but accurate enough. The ride was eerily silent, Maul's seething anger radiating off him. Savage knew he couldn't speak to him, not yet. Maul was working through his temper after having lost his chance at revenge, and failed to obtain the crew he'd wanted. The two brothers settled in for the travel, though Maul was still fairly alert, as if paranoid they'd be thrown out of hyperspace by some complication. Luckily, the ride was uneventful. 

Unfortunately, though, as they arrived, the ship lurched and sputtered, then fell to a tottling waddle. 

"Master, I-" Savage started to offer suggestions, desperate to help, but Maul silenced him with a harsh hand motion. 

"No, my apprentice," He muttered, "We are near the space port I'd intended to head for. We will land there, sell our cargo, and commission ourselves a new ship." Maul seemed much more at ease, leaning backwards into his seat. 

"Yes, Master, of course." Savage said softly, looking out into the distance, where a planet was slowly becoming bigger as they approached. Savage was quiet for a few minutes, then finally burst out, "I am sorry I failed, Master. I did not mean to-" 

Maul once again cut him off, pinning him with a stare. "You killed a Jedi. You very badly injured Obi-Wan Kenobi." Maul spoke his name with a seething hate that was oppressive. "You did not fail. You did spectacularly on this test." He assured his apprentice with a serious tone and maintained eye contact. He could sense the older Zabrak squirming with discomfort under the praise, the instinct to naturally disagree there, but he overcame it with minimal visual indicators. 

"Thank you, Master. I will impress you more the next time." Savage was very soft-spoken when addressing Maul, his natural subservient nature plain as day. Maul nodded, and carefully pushed himself to stand. 

The legs that he'd been so graciously gifted were badly damaged. He stumbled as he tried to put weight on them, and Savage's reflexes had him right there to catch him, leapt out of his seat with arms extended. Maul gripped one of Savage's massive arms, leaning his weight to test the steadiness of his legs. Savage was unyielding and still for him, watching intently. Maul assured that his legs were now useless; they were held together with magic, after all; a blaster shot had obliterated one and severely damaged the other. He growled, curling his lips back to expose his fangs in a clear show of anger. 

"I will need to be repaired as well." 

"We still have credits from when we obtained this ship, Master. I will go find you a mechanic when we land." Savage said, staring down at Maul. Maul's mouth twisted into a pleased sort of scowl, as he let his weight fall back into his seated position. 

"Very well, my apprentice. I have faith in you." He let the praise hang in the air for a few moments, then added, "We are a few hours out. Rest." 

~~~~

Landing the ship was choppy, and fairly rough. It caught the attention of several nearby civilians, who watched the ship rattle then land with a clattering rumble. Savage gathered his weapon and made sure he had an impressive handful of credits to bribe a good mechanic before he left. Maul was focused on checking the ship's status, but did order Savage to hurry back. 

The second they landed, Maul felt a presence; it was new to him, but still rang familiar. A Dark Side user, but the essence was not the same as the Sith. Rather, the presence was more passive, unfocused. While powerful, it felt much less aligned to the Dark, though the feeling was unmistakable. The sensation was as if the line between Dark and Light had become very thin, like the veil between them didn't matter. It had him on edge immediately, but he did not pass this concern to his apprentice. Whatever it was, it did not hold any notes of hostility, and he assumed whatever user possessed this would have taken note of him as well. 

Still, he meditated on it, trying to parse together an identity, a location, an _alliance._ The pain from his legs and the other objectives at hand drove him to disregard it for now. They had a goal. 

Savage got several side-eyes, but no one stopped or spoke to him. Clearly his race was uncommon, but not unheard of; he spotted a couple Brothers working nearby. He scanned the area outside of the landing docks for any kind of guide or assistance.

He found a large map of the district, walking up to study it and watching the locals interact with the holo-map. He did find several mechanic shops for cybernetic enhancements, so he made his way toward the closest one. Savage was window shopping first, not wanting to waste time on sub par work. The third shop he visited had a handful of people with cybernetic limbs nearby, all of them were extremely dexterous and seemed comfortable. 

"Did you get work at this shop?" He asked. The group were initially startled by him but confirmed that they had, they came back to this shop for tune-ups regularly. One warned him that it was not a cheap mechanic, but that he was worth it. 

Savage had to duck into the shop, sideways, as his shoulders didn't fit through the door. The mechanic was a surprisingly large alien, but he was very slender. Savage was unfamiliar with this species, but he had very limited experience in the galaxy; the mechanic looked up from an arm he was tinkering with, and jumped at the sight of him. 

"Ah-! Oh- how… Can I… Help you?" He asked, his voice paired a sharp rattle of mandibles. The insectoid looked him up and down with massive, segmented eyes, one of which was cybernetic. 

"I require your assistance." Savage said, urgency clear. 

"Ya don't look like it," was the sneering reply. Savage growled, showing thick, sharp fangs, but quickly reigned in his anger with the nudging of his Master across their bond. 

"Not for me. My Master requires repair or replacement of his current augmentations. On both legs." Savage only had to flash his handful of credits and promise more for good work, and the mechanic folded immediately. 

"Fine then. Bring him in." 

"No." Savage said it in tandem with his Master's voice in his head. "You need to come to our ship and repair him there." 

A heavy sigh came from the other, but he resigned to his fate. "Very well." 

Savage was taken aback when the mechanic stood to his full height; he was _massive,_ almost twice as tall as Savage. The Zabrak suddenly realized that the insectoid had been sitting on the floor behind the counter. Savage had thought he'd been standing the whole time,or at least sitting on a tall stool; that was _very much_ not the case. Though his interactions were limited, Savage had never met _anyone_ bigger than his modified body, but the insectoid stood tall and stared _down_ at him. 

"I'll bring tools and parts. Hopefully I will fit in your ship?" He tilted his head to zero in on Savage, who was still utterly dumbfounded. 

"I- yes, you will. It is a cargo vessel." He finally managed. 

"Ah, good." 

The mechanic led Savage out of the back of the shop, mentioning that he couldn't comfortably squeeze through the front door. 

On the way to the ship, Savage learned that the mechanic's name was Ferro, and he was a Yam'rii, a large insectoid people who specialized in augmentation, cybernetics and other mechanical work. 

Once they arrived, Maul snarled at Ferro upon seeing him, reflexively defensive, but allowed himself to be examined once it was clear the alien was the mechanic, not an intruder. The mantis didn't seem afraid of Maul, but he was extremely respectful as he crouched into the space, sinking to his knees to examine the damage. 

"Pay me what you think my work is worth when I'm finished." He insisted. "But I can't repair these." 

Maul curled his lip, taking in a shuddering breath to start speaking, but Ferro politely raised one of his four hands. 

"I apologize, but these limbs are not conventionally mechanical." He carefully turned the injured limb, and green smoke seeped out of the joint. "This is not something that can be practically repaired. I _can_ rebuild them, but I would need to deconstruct them first." He bowed his head and removed his hands from Maul. 

"Master, perhaps-" 

"Silence," Maul seethed, but his demeanor became cold and controlled after a sharp inhale. "Do what you must." 

After some debate, Ferro helped Maul pick out new, armored models of legs that were more similar to his old body. Maul had initially objected, but Ferro pointed out that his current legs would always be fragile, even if he rebuilt them from scratch. He agreed to getting armored, new legs, while Savage looked on from the back of the room. 

The insectoid was initially talkative, but Maul's silent, intense stare caused him to falter. "Well, you don't gotta answer any questions, of course." 

"I know." Maul answered in a low tone. His eyes flicked up to Savage. "Apprentice- gather more credits and go buy us some supplies. We need items for security, medical-" Maul's voice faltered as his cybernetics were starting to shut down so they could be detached. "s-some food as well, and anything else you may need." He finished, rolling his wrist to wave Savage off. 

Savage understood the unspoken request for privacy inlaid into the order, so he quickly bowed and ducked out of the doorway. 

Ferro was dutiful in his work, large eye and mechanical one working in tandem with his four hands. Maul braced himself onto his chair as the piece that made up his hips disconnected from the life support that was keeping in his organs. He was still as he watched the mechanic work rapidly to attach the new legs. 

Once he was able to settle his weight down into the chair again, he let out a long, calming breath. Ferro glanced up at him, still having plenty of work to do on the limbs themselves. "So, you two aren't Jedi…." He wondered out loud. Maul tensed. 

"... No. We are _not."_ he stared down at Ferro, his eyes a little wild. "Is there a problem?" 

"Definitely not. It's a relief to see the Force doesn't just belong to those in the highest powers." Ferro spoke frankly, and Maul could easily tell he was sincere. 

"Does that mean there's a _Jedi_ here?" Maul asked, in a rushed series of words. "I sensed _something_ when we arrived." 

"No, no Jedi. The only thing we have is a governor who uses the Force to get what she wants." Ferro's mouth, which was partially hidden by mandibles, pulled into a frown. 

"Your governor is a force user?" That seemed strange, especially since the Jedi poached out new applicants at birth. Then again, this was wild space. Maul only knew of this place from a map he once saw while navigating the outer rim, and this was a small trading port called Tyrool. It was a connection to deeper, wild space, just far enough in the outer rim and small enough not to take notice. Maul had stumbled upon it on accident during his travels for his Master, though he'd never been there himself, he believed the smuggler map he'd seen. 

" _She_ isn't, but she has someone who does it for her. I've never seen it." Ferro shrugged, working on the wiring on the inside of the panel for Maul's left shin. 

"You've never seen your leader?" 

"I've seen her, in photos. I don't tend to wander too deep in the city." He began working on the inside of the same leg. "They'd take all my credits asking for licensure and other shit. I have no interest in raising my prices for my patrons over some documents." 

Maul nodded, "Your cause is admirable; your work already speaks for itself." He watched the insectoid work with seasoned skill, giving warnings before the few bursts of pain that were unavoidable. 

"Thank you. I've heard rumors the governor has a slave that uses the Force under her guide. I've never seen it, but, I do hear about it." Ferro clarified, and Maul sensed that his comment on his work may have influenced his openness. He mulled on that thought for a while, sitting back against the chair. 

After a long, comfortable silence, Ferro had Maul stand for the first time. The Yam'rii stayed crouched as he watched the legs move, antennae twitching, both eyes trained on him as he walked across the bridge. 

Maul struggled, but only slightly. He'd gotten somewhat used to his legs from Mother Talzin, but not entirely; he'd had many more legs for quite some time. 

After a back and forth, some more modifications and a short explanation as to why Maul wasn't as skilled at walking on two legs, Ferro felt happy with them. 

"Now," Ferro said, as Maul stood, staring out the front of his ship. "The legs you have now, they're hollow, for the most part. There's lots of room for modifications… What would you like?" 

Maul turned over his shoulder as Ferro dragged over his huge toolbox that he had brought from the shop. He had many drawers, with many labels for things that Ferro _definitely_ wouldn't have if he was governed. Maul grinned and made a quick turn, stalking in close to see what was available. "Just to warn you, installation on some of this can be pretty painful." 

"Let me see what you have." 

~

Savage had brought with him one of the hover carts from within the ship, a case of credits, and some empty containers. He set out to buy things related to security; a few blasters, though he knew his Master wouldn't prefer them, there were times when lightsabers weren't as ideal. He also got other ammunition, some sensors, cameras and small bombs. On top of these things he got them new clothes, then moved on to medical supplies.

For the most part, Savage's credits were taken without issue, but a couple times he was asked who he belonged to. He realized on the second occurrence, that Dathomirian-Zabrak seemed to be a somewhat common slave on this planet. He saw several working in the back at the shop he bought some of the medical supplies at. He grumbled, though he knew that raids on his village were intermittent; the Nightsisters rarely came to them, and they considered any male who was snatched up by raiders to not have been worth keeping anyway. Savage had seen many Brothers whisked away at young ages, or would even volunteer for a chance to leave their life on Dathomir. 

Part way through assembling the first aid kit, he got a comm blip from Maul. "Yes, Master?" 

"My apprentice," Maul sounded strained, clearly in pain from the augmentation. "How much longer will you be?" 

"I am nearly finished." Savage answered, and heard a low rumble from Maul. "But, I can go start looking for someone to build us a ship as well." 

"Very good. Communicate to me when you are coming back." Maul spoke audibly through a clenched jaw. 

"Yes, Master." Savage waited for Maul to disconnect before he went about haggling for supplies and asking around about ships for sale or mechanics that built them. 

~~~~

It was starting to become dark on Tyrool by the time Savage started making his way back to the ship. He called ahead as instructed, and Maul said he would walk Ferro back to his shop himself with his large, hovering box of supplies once Savage was back. 

Savage watched in delight as his master walked out from the cabin to meet him. He presented the clothes he'd bought them, and Maul got dressed after commenting on Savage's good judgment. Maul elected to go shirtless; Tyrool was hot and muggy, much like their home on Dathomir. 

When they made it to his shop, Maul watched as Ferro started filing away the credits he'd been paid. "Where would I find this governor of yours in action?" He asked, voice low. Ferro's antennae twitched and he gave Maul a side glance. 

"The interior of the city. You will have the best chance finding her in the bizarre near the center. She's been having construction done there." Ferro spoke carefully, lending weight to each word. "You'll want to leave those laser swords hidden away." 

Maul sneered, though he understood the warning. Since they still had business here, he'd agree. Besides, it took no effort to hide them away. 

Ferro wished him well on his way out, which he acknowledged with a nod as he walked out the door. On the way back to the ship, Maul too noticed that there were many slaves working into the night, and peppered through them were Zabrak, all of them Brothers from Dathomir. He mulled on this as he stomped heavily onto the ship. 

Once back in their ship, he was surprised to see Savage had organized all of the spice, credits, and other loot that had come on the ship. He had stocked their food and medical kits and was in the middle of setting up security sensors when Maul returned. He glanced up and greeted his master warmly. Maul had a deadpan expression, but he did take the unconditional loyalty to heart. 

"I noticed there are Nightbrothers here. You did not mention that." He said, voice low as he paced back and forth across the storage room, working to get used to his new legs. "I know you couldn't have missed them." 

"I… Did not think much of it, Master," Savage said carefully, giving Maul a side glance. "Our village is on the opposite side of the planet from the Nightsisters, and occasionally invaders with ships come. They will take some of our weakest. Some leave with them on their own." He shrugged his shoulder. "I know it has been a long time since you have been home."

Maul was silent as Savage spoke, coming to a mental full stop once Savage mentioned invading ships. He supposed it made sense; the Nightsisters created the Dathomirian-Zabrak for their own uses, in sacrifices, as mates, slaves, or as Savage was, gifts to powerful beings. "I don't remember your village," He admitted. "I was taken from the Nightsisters when I was very young. I suppose my experience wasn't unique." He felt a seething bitterness in his hearts, knowing full well the Jedi would _never_ take a Dathomirian-Zabrak to be one of their own, though he knew this to be a blessing to be hated by them. 

All of the Nightbrothers had a connection to the Force; many were weaker, but every one of them was sensitive to it. Many never explored it, as far as he knew, not without the blessing of the Nightsisters. Very few would dare wander into the temple that towered over their villages. "I doubt these people even know our Brothers' closeness to the Force." He muttered to himself, mouth curling into a snarl. "Which is likely for the best." 

Savage agreed, eyes tracking over the younger Zabrak's face, watching his emotions flit between enraged to sinister mulling. At least this planet was hospitable to their hybrid bodies, with a very similar atmosphere to Dathomir. 

"I would like to explore this planet a little more," Maul finally said, gaze off into the middle distance. "Perhaps we may find more useful information. Until we get a new ship, we should lie low." 

"Of course, Master. We can go into the city tomorrow. I have gotten us a map." 

"Very good, my apprentice. You did well." 

After a brief silence, the two Zabrak started to wind down for the night, eating a quick meal, then checking the shuttle for vulnerabilities. Maul helped Savage set up security for the night, then poured over the potential blueprints for new ships that his apprentice had brought him. He only succumbed to sleep when the ambient noise of the city died down outside, then he and Savage retired to their bunks. 

Though intending to sleep, Maul's attempt was fitful. He struggled to let his guard down, the ever-present hum of another Force user buzzing at the peripheral of his mind. Throughout the night the presence ebbed and swelled, but as it got later and later, there was a change in the presence. Maul sat up in his bunk to settle on his knees, then lay the backs of his palms on his thighs. He flexed his fingertips, grasping, _pulling_ at the Force. He sought to follow the sensation of _Another,_ following the path to narrow in on the source through meditation. 

At first, the concentration of Force energy was relatively neutral, definitely relying on the Dark side, but not inherently based on emotions of hate like a Sith. However, as time went on, it spiked, stabbing out in a hot anger that caused Maul to reflexively hook his fingers into a tense, clawing position. He sensed a deep pain, laced with a savage and seething hatred that Maul knew well. His chest rose and fell in heavier breaths, though still steady in rhythm. 

Savage rolled over in his own cot, having been awoken by his brother's low growl, but he saw Maul meditating. He watched with interest, unfamiliar with the practice; Dooku certainly never taught him _this._ Maul's mouth was curled into a snarl, his fingers tight and curled, as if gripping tightly with the Force at an unseen item or entity. 

Maul's eyes snapped open, glowing in the low light, darting around as if searching. Whatever he saw was not something Savage could see, but through their bond he could sense unrest within him. 

While gazing through the Force was a skill Maul had honed in his many years alone, he'd never done so while on the same planet as his target. He used to do this in order to spy on Obi-Wan Kenobi; he was able to see him, faintly, through the thick fog of the Light side. Maul had filled countless hours of his time on Lotho Minor slowly going mad imagining his revenge on the jedi, to the point it drove him to complete insanity. His mother's healing touch had rid him of his madness, but it could not smother his _hate._

Even with such a brief contact through the Force, Maul had been exposed to a searing hot anger that burned hotter than the blue sun this planet orbited. He felt it wash over him as if it were his own, sending his hearts into a frenzy. Even so, he was able to overcome the initial wave of irrationality, but the sensation was intense just the same. 

The Force user on this planet was incredibly powerful, but completely unrestrained. There only were mild flecks of self-control, built up only from self preservation. Maul had sensed this being had no training; none from Jedi, nor Sith, nor any other culture. They were fully instinctual, with no true alignment, merely existing with the Force at full strength by their side. 

Maul's eyes closed again, and his posture became more relaxed, shoulders dipping. He took a few moments to center himself, bringing his wandering mind's eye back to him. After he finished, he silently shifted to lay back down fully on his cot, on top of the covers due to the heat.

Savage had nearly spoken up, but didn't dare interrupt whatever his Master was going through. He hadn't realized he'd started to hold his breath until he let it out in one long, steady gust when Maul's shoulders sagged. 

Despite almost no noise being made besides Maul's breathing, and occasional reactive growl, when the younger Zabrak lay back down, the silence became intense. It was as if the Force itself had been humming, but it had only been unidentifiable white noise and came to a sudden stop. Savage lay awake for a short while longer, before he determined he could fall asleep without missing anything else. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maul and Savage explore Tyrool in search of the mysterious force user, while Maul starts to cook up a some major plans. The two start to learn about the strange little blip on a popular trade route to the Outer Rim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank Maddie, aka [maderilien](https://maderilien.tumblr.com/), who helped me polish off this chapter for posting. You're amazing! 
> 
> I also wanted to thank everyone who commented and has been reading this fic with me, it means so much! I am already working on chapter 3, but please let me know how you feel about this one!

Pale washed out light filtered down through the clouds across the small planet; the air was clear in the early morning, allowing the azure color of its sun to pierce the atmosphere. The light was only cool tones for about an hour at sunrise, but the brothers were awake in time to catch it. Savage stepped out of the ship, craving fresh air. His breath was visible, and all of the plants, ships and equipment had a thin layer of frost on them, making everything sparkle. 

This place reminded him of Dathomir, but much more diverse. The lovely, colorful light was scattered by the atmosphere as it rose here, but the red suns on Dathomir baked the high mountains and plateaus into a barren and dry wasteland. Though the high points on Dathomir were dry and windswept, closer to the surface, the planet was damp, painfully cold at night in some places, and littered with large plants and swamps. This planet had rich foliage, with wide, waxy leaves that leaned over some of the ships. It seemed like the small port was constantly fighting off encroaching plants. 

Once the sun was higher in the sky, the frost burned off, leaving wispy fog that swirled around Savage's legs as he walked. While it didn't smell anything like his home, he enjoyed the fresh air and the smell of plants and frost after being trapped on ships for so long. Perhaps he was simply missing his old life, but he'd already grown weary of cycled air and false gravity. 

Maul took note of Savage's behavior, watching him leave their ship to spend as much time as possible outside, touching the large leaves that hung over parts of the landing dock with curiosity. Maul chose to stay inside, though at an angle where he could see out the open door, eating some of the cured meats Savage had brought while pouring over blueprints for a new ship. 

Ferro had done a good job, but the new limbs still had phantom aches, and the connection site for them was sore from the process. The physical pain was minimal to him, but the phantom pain he could do nothing about made him agitated. He got up and paced across the threshold of the ship, having a much easier time now that the hull had been reorganized. Maul felt listless, constantly taking moments to himself to try to seek out the presence of the Force user, but he found the sensation to be the same as when they landed. He could feel them, but only as a far away kind of entity, too lost in the expanse of the Force to pinpoint. 

"My apprentice, we are heading into the city today," he announced as soon as Savage came closer to the ship again. His brother fixed him with a confused stare, but nodded, not a hint of objection to his demeanor. They hid away their lightsabers into their clothes, with Maul muttering to his brother that he should split his staff into its three pieces. Savage obeyed, then defused Maul's agitation some by explaining he had found the local map projection, offering to lead the way to it. 

Maul felt admittedly uneasy around the groups of locals and frequent visitors, but they blended in well thanks to the sheer number of Nightbrothers around. Maul watched them as the two worked their way into the inner city; the enslaved Zabrak were working tirelessly, many casting confused glances their way. There were other species of slaves, and it became more diverse as they went deeper into the city's interlocking walls, but male Dathomirians were still very common.

Savage was focused on getting them to their destination, which had been determined by Ferro's lead from the night before—the bazaar near the center of the city. As they worked through the maze-like neighborhoods, they would stop in shopping districts to check the maps that were prominently displayed there. At one point, Savage suggested taking some public transport, but Maul refused. 

"I want to take a close look around," was all he would reveal of his logic. The walls were higher the farther they made it into the city, massive slabs of stone that had been carved out to use for housing, farming, and shop spaces. Partway to their destination, Maul realized the city had been carved from some kind of mountain, but had long since lost its natural shape from the development. The walls were made up of white stone with bands of dark colors webbed through it sporadically.

Maul studied the details on the walls, especially in public spaces. It became clear to him who the Governor was; a slender, human woman named Keiru Mantesseri. She had long, blond hair and blue eyes, with a glittering smile in her photos and holo-messages that rang as deeply disingenuous to him. Savage had taken notice as well, and after taking some time to stare at one of her promotional posters together, they exchanged a communicative glance then went on their way. 

As the walls got higher, they also got farther apart, forming large gaps that were swallowed up in sunlight as the massive star moved overhead. Despite the shade from the walls, the sun filled up enough of the sky to bless even the innermost city with light for a few hours. 

Maul found the construction interesting, to say the least. The structure was created in a way that made getting to the center something near impossible without a guide; they could easily get turned around in the maze-like shape of the city. He found that to be a fairly useful design that he kept in the back of his mind as they entered the bazaar.

By the time they'd made it, the sun was fully overhead and filled the little valley with warmth and light. All through the city, there had been skillfully integrated plants that attached to the walls and grew around the ponds and pockets of water that dotted their path there, leading to a magnificent pond that was the centerpiece of the bazaar. 

The pond had large plants growing both out of the water and leaning over the edge. Savage spotted lots of small wild animals living in these water features, as well as many citizens feeding or otherwise caring for them. The two took a small break once they arrived at their destination, standing at the edge of the pond, with Maul having his back to the water to observe the crowd. 

Savage, on the other hand, crouched down to look into it, and spotted a tiny creature peering back up at him. It had massive, pale brown eyes and a rounded face, a short, round body and four large webbed feet with claws at the tip of each digit. The little creature climbed up a vine that arched out over the edge of the pond. 

Savage instinctually struck his hand out when the animal leapt at him, catching it on the flat of his palm with a wet slap of its webbed, leathery feet hitting his skin. He watched as the long digits gripped his thumb and pinky tightly for support. For a moment Savage simply stared into the eyes of the animal, and it felt like it could see right into him. Then, flashes of crushing it under his grip splattered across his mind. It felt like when he'd been forced to act against his will in the past, but now he had full control. Still, the image shook him, so he lowered his hand into the water to gently shake the creature off, a spike of anxiety making him not trust himself. 

He felt a strange ache in his chest once his fingertips hit the water, forgetting about the animal as his eyes flew up to the absolute center of the city, where the water seemed to be leading into. The pond had a tiny creek that stretched out directly across from him. He didn't know why, but his gaze had been guided there by the will of the Force. It looked like a temple; the archway over the creek was ornate and detailed. However, from the way people were coming in and out, it was just another inner courtyard with more shops.

Still, the sensation was undeniable to him; once his hand was free, he stood to his full height. "Brother, I—" he spoke, then quickly corrected himself when Maul's sharp, piercing gaze snapped to him. He felt Maul's rage sinking into his hearts. "Master," he said, a bit louder, "This place is strong with the Force." 

Maul regarded the older Zabrak carefully, studying him. "You are right, my Apprentice." He emphasized the last word by showing his teeth, making his anger at the slip-up clear, but forgiveness was soon to follow this time, only because of the useful observation. "I believe this place is close to the Force as well. But these _people…"_ Maul spoke softly, vaguely gesturing around them. 

It angered him that citizens here very clearly looked upon himself and his brother as slaves on an errand for a Master. Still, he kept his temper in check, if only because he didn't want to draw attention to them. At least not yet. What was more pressing, was the fact the sensation of another Force user was very much present, and with Savage's observation, Maul knew he was in the right area. 

The trek into the bazaar had been a long one, so Maul decided to slow down and scout around, to see what a normal day here consisted of. The Sith noted that many of the residents this deep in the city seemed to be humans. _Extremely typical._ There were still Dathomirian slaves, but they were dressed much nicer, in clean clothes that still was very revealing of their upper bodies. 

Some were dressed more formally, and were following closely with a human or occasional Twi'lek master, being doted on. It made Maul seethe, seeing his kin like this, though he knew it wasn't much different to how they lived on Dathomir. He had not lived there long, but he knew enough in his short time that the Nightbrothers were created to serve the Nightsisters, in any way they saw fit. 

However, the Nightsisters were gone. His mother's spirit was all that remained of them; they owed loyalty to _no one._ Maul's people deserved more. _He_ deserved more. He tilted his gaze up to the high walls, sweeping over to the tallest spire that was carved into smooth, rounded shapes. Even with all of the industrial rot and commercial spread, Maul sensed this place was once sacred. 

Whoever the original inhabitants of this planet had been either conquered or had left; now that he had seen enough of the city, it was clear it had been built _into_ a structure that already existed, though there was no way to know how much they had changed it. He was interrupted from his musings by a loud _thud_ followed by a chorus of clapping. Maul's eyes flicked toward the sound, spotting the outer fringes of a crowd forming around a corner. 

Fully invested, Maul broke from his spot and walked with purpose toward the grouping, hearing Savage quickly catch up and set an equal pace behind him. Once around the corner, it took no time to spot the subject of attention. 

Just as Ferro said, there was construction, though it wasn't really what Maul was expecting. There was a large, rectangular structure being built, with heavy logs and two walls already in place. It did not have a roof yet, and judging by the crew standing on the scaffolding that was inside the structure, the noise they'd heard was the right hand wall being pulled into place. 

He saw Mantesseri standing off to the side, dressed lavishly, with Dathomirians on either side providing her with shade. The one to her right was a dark gray color with rich black tattoos; the other was a stark white base skin color and dark blue tattoos that were far more angular than the rounded shapes of the other. Maul sneered, but quickly gained control of his emotions as he sought out her supposed Force sensitive slave. Was it one of the two Nightbrothers nearby her? Were they elsewhere? 

"Master," Savage spotted them first, carefully brushing his arm against Maul's, which made his skin crawl at the sudden contact. Biting back the urge to jerk away, he tried to focus on where Savage was gesturing, but Maul's eyes caught a different movement instead. A large carved piece of rock was lifting straight up into the air, settling into place to nest against where stone met wood. Maul darted his gaze down to the being responsible, and he felt a strange mixture of victory and anger to discover it was, in fact, one of his own. 

His back was to them, swooping lines of tattoos cresting across shoulder blades that were shiny with sweat, beading down to follow his markings down his spine. His skin was a paler blue base, with black or nearly black tattoos that seemed to cover his whole body, as was typical of adult Dathomirian males. Maul watched as the Nightbrother finished his task, dropping his arms with clear exhaustion in his figure. Had he moved the wall into place before they arrived? Judging by the murmuring around them from the crowd, that seemed to be the case. 

The moment he wasn't occupied with moving materials, the Nightbrother turned around, eyes casting out to the crowd, searching. There was no doubt in Maul's mind the other Zabrak sensed him, but had no way to pinpoint him. His eyes were wide, bewildered, _desperate._ He had a crown of small horns, with tattoos around them that were thorn-like, dark around his eyes and bands across his nose—all traditional Nightbrother markings that both brothers knew well. He was wearing an identical pair of shorts the two standing next to Mantesseri were wearing, but also like them, had no shirt. He had scars striped across his body, though it was not atypical of the Zabrak in the city. 

Savage started to break away from his side, approaching the Governor and her slaves. Maul's hand struck out and caught him harshly, digging his fingers into Savage's inner elbow. He came to a stop and carefully stepped back to being behind Maul, heaving a calming breath. 

"Be patient, my apprentice," Maul hummed, eyes shifting to Mantesseri to watch her closely. She snapped at the Nightbrother, who quickly went back to work, shaking his head as if to clear it. "You will have someone to train alongside soon," Maul stated coldly, still fixated on the Governor. 

The two brothers watched the construction for a while. It became extremely obvious that the Force user was exploited for his labor for the simplest of reasons. She made him lift immense slabs of rock, which workers above were _supposed_ to be pulling up from the opposite end, except they kept a slack hold on the ropes looped through the holes drilled in the rock for no other reason—Maul assumed—than the entertainment of the onlookers.

Mantesseri snapped a name at the Zabrak occasionally, but neither of the brothers could catch what it was. Maul heard a name that was two syllables, but couldn't discern what they were. Savage was getting aggravated behind Maul, audibly grumbling and growling when the Governor was especially shrill. 

Deciding they'd seen enough, Maul turned to walk back from where they came. Savage did a double take between Maul and the three Zabrak in front of him, before finally breaking his position to follow Maul. 

"Master, I thought we were going to..." he trailed off, because he _didn't_ know what Maul's plan was. He clicked his mouth shut and followed his brother back to the outer city. 

Maul moved with purpose now, only slowing down when they were outside of the bazaar, where he started moving in the direction of the trading port. The layout of the city was like a labyrinth, with a path that led to the center from the outside. The stones beneath their feet were darker along the path to the center, but many parts of the path had been damaged or replaced, making the built-in guide a scattered, dotted line. It had been so ruined that Maul only noticed it when he was leaving the bazaar itself. 

Maul ducked into a shop just outside of the walls of the market, which led to yet another shopping district. Savage stood outside, as the old shop looked cramped; definitely too small for him. He leaned back to read the sign, and it appeared to be some kind of tourist shop, as if traveling into the center of the city was intended to be a vacation. Savage turned his back on the store, taking some time to observe the shopping district that was nestled between the city's center bazaar and the residential district for what appeared to be Tyrool's upper class. 

Savage watched passersby for a few moments, turning back toward the shop when he felt like he was being stared at. His gaze quickly snapped to Maul's back, visible through the shop's window, as he leaned to get a closer glance at something. 

"How accurate is this map?" Maul asked the shopkeeper, a Chadra-Fan female who was standing in front of him. She tapped her claws against her arms after crossing them. 

"It'll get you around the shopping district and the Governor's Market. Why? You lookin' for a resident's house?" she retorted, and Maul was impressed with her snappiness. He laughed; it was breathy and cruel, very nearly pitying. 

"Perhaps I am," he said gently, in a far too calm tone. The reaction on her face showed she was afraid, sensing the malice in his voice, but he could also sense her fear, _taste_ it. He relaxed his posture, then carefully picked up a stack of the maps; each one was printed on tightly folded durasheet-like material. The Chadra-Fan watched as he reached into his pocket with a free hand, and produced a small handful of credits—more than enough to pay for what was in his grasp. 

To his surprise, she did not hesitate to hold out her hand, up high for him to place the credits into her tiny palm. She got over her fear immediately when she realized the danger wasn't real. This time his laugh was more genuine amusement as he dropped the credits into her palm. He opened his fingers to drop more than she had anticipated, causing her to reach up with her other hand in a scramble to catch them. 

"Thank you for your help. I wish you well," Maul said gently, stepping toward the door. He stopped right before leaving. "Oh, and," he spoke over his shoulder. "Do you know where I could get other maps like these? For the rest of the city?" 

The Chadra-Fan stared at him, her face unreadable, but her wide, flat nose was trembling. After a long pause, she spoke. "You can download them at the holo maps in the city. Just use the interface panel with a data pad. I dunno if other shops have them printed," she finally said, keeping piercing eye contact with Maul. He sensed she was pointedly no longer afraid of him, a flicker of resolution in her emotions. "If you want… I know someone who can print em out like those for you." She shrugged and broke eye contact. "You know where to find me." 

"That I do," Maul said. "I will take you up on that offer soon." With that, he stepped out of the shop, immediately walking to the right to keep heading toward the exit. Savage fell into place behind him, and the two made their way back to the exit of the labyrinth structure, where the landing docks stretched out for the trading port. 

Maul stepped into a few shops on the way, looking for more printed maps of the areas. In doing so, he discovered that the farther out they got, the more likely it was for any random shop, street vendor, or service would have a map of the local area. He realized that Tyrool was more than just a trading port; it was a massive city, with the entire population of the planet living within and just outside its walls. The rest of the planet, he assumed, was an undeveloped jungle. He bought a handful of maps at each stop, and would occasionally stop to look at one while listening to conversations around them. During these times, Savage would lean against a stone wall, close his eyes, and attempt to do the same. 

Savage struggled to listen to individual conversations; many were in languages he didn't recognize, and those whose language he could understand, he didn't really grasp the subject of. Many people seemed to be weary of the unjust caste system. The density of homes and businesses was radically different between the outskirts and the center, as those who lived farther from the center of the city were more crowded.

Maul found the fact that the center of the city was advertised as a vacation to those farther out rather pathetic. He knew that all of the governor's money came from the space port, out on the farthest edge of the city; while traveling, he spotted a transport shuttle overhead that he recognized as one he'd seen the day before that was loading up with credits. The governor had little care for her people, either the enslaved populace or other citizens. As he listened to the ambient chatter on their way to their ship, he heard many stories of strife and anger. He could only gleam so much, but it seemed that almost everyone who lived on the tiny planet was a refugee of various wars, some of them generations old. It was also glaringly obvious that there were far less humans than non-humans the closer to the exit of the city. 

Taking some time to actually study one of the maps he'd picked up, Maul noticed that there were many carved doorways that were not filled in on it. This was a repeated phenomenon that he encountered three times across different areas by the time they finally made it to the landing port. The brothers returned to their ship to empty their bags of the maps, which Savage started to organize while Maul continued mulling over his plans. 

Just as they'd arrived at their ship, the sun had started to go down, casting everything in a warm purple hued light that shifted in tone until it was dark. "Today was a very… Productive day, Savage." Maul commented, as he began pacing across the storage bay. "As I suspected, the Force user I sensed is a Nightbrother…" He turned to glance at Savage, looking over his shoulder. "Did you recognize him, Savage?" 

"No, Master," Savage replied, after a long pause. 

"I've never seen Dathomirians like them before," Maul said thoughtfully, in reference to all three that they'd seen under her orders. 

"How many have you seen?" Savage asked in response, causing Maul to halt. He supposed that was a valid question; he could count the others of their species and the Nightsisters he'd met on one hand. The coven kept them all utterly isolated, except as a slave trade it seemed. Savage looked back down at his task, carefully sorting through the pieces of print. 

"They _are_ uncommon… The cooler colors," Savage finally clarified. "About as rare as a Brother being bright red. Most of us are much less saturated in pigment from birth." He specifically _didn't_ look at Maul, seemingly engrossed in making neat piles of folded print. "The ones next to her are ones I've only heard about before, gray and white. I think, perhaps, she has a need to _collect rarities_ . I saw a poster for some event that… _Woman_ is hosting. It had others of rare colorations as well." 

Maul could feel the bitter seething rage from the older Zabrak. He was furious, but had kept his temper until just now. Savage had explained before that raids to their home was common enough that he hadn't been surprised to see their people here; perhaps the raiders were directly from Tyrool? 

"We are of the same mind, apprentice. I feel your anger," Maul rumbled. "I sense your desires," He added, turning his back on Savage. "I completely agree. Something should be done." Maul trailed off, once again starting to pace. "I brought us here for supplies, but I believe this place could be _much more."_

Savage slowed his motions as he listened, sliding the tip of his claw between two maps, placing them into their appropriate piles. "What can we do?" he finally asked slowly. 

"This place is overflowing with suffering," Maul hissed. "They will be receptive to… A transfer of power." Savage froze, hand hovering over a folded map. "We need to enlist locals… They can fill in the missing blanks, making it easier to navigate the city undetected," Maul continued as he started up his pacing again.

"Perhaps the mechanic can help us?" Savage suggested, finishing his task. He stood, fetching himself something to eat. 

"Yes… Yes, Ferro gave me the lead that was so successful today. He seems to know many of the people who live here." Maul tapped his lower lip with one finger, eyes darting around, staring at nothing in particular. "I think we will go visit him tomorrow." 

Savage leaned on the wall of the ship, biting into the dried meat, watching his brother from across the threshold. 

Maul picked up a tool from a workbench at the far end of the storage area, examining it carefully in his hands. Without warning, he suddenly flung it directly at Savage, who jerked to the right to dodge it. Maul clicked his tongue in a scolding way. 

"You still have much to learn," Maul said, twisting his fingers together, causing the tool to wriggle free from the wall where it had been embedded to hover back into his hands. "Your instincts are sharp, yes, but you do not use the Force, Savage. You only use your physical senses." He examined the damage to the item, which looked to have been some kind of crate opening tool. It was sharp and angled at one end, with a sturdy grip. 

Savage stared at his brother, a scowl clear on his face. Maul chuckled. "Your temper is useful, but you need more _control."_

There was a tense silence that was only interrupted by Savage's barely controlled breathing. He felt his pent up anger snap from the adrenaline, and it took all of his self control not to lash out. After one long, last heave of breath, he felt calm again. "Yes, Master."

The larger Zabrak continued to watch Maul, who seemed to be lost in thought again. Savage watched his eyes dart around, his mouth move in soundless words. Even though their mother had healed him, Maul still had many of his old mannerisms that Savage could see. He was jumpy, reactive, and unpredictable.

Savage was weary of anger. His mother had forced his body into a new form, and in doing so, made his hearts laden with hate and rage. As time went on, as his dedication to finding his only remaining family kept him moving, he found hatred did not sit well within him. It sizzled in his chest, burning him from within, but felt hollow, unfulfilling at best. Besides, even as Maul centered on him again and told him they needed to work on training, Savage could not find it in him to hate his brother. Not truly. Not even for a moment. 

"There isn't enough room for lightsaber training," Maul was saying, half pulling Savage from his thoughts. "So we will work on your control." 

_Yes, we will,_ Savage thought, raising his hands to catch the tool with the Force, halting it in mid-air and slowly drifting it back to his master. Savage decided he would dedicate his time to controlling his temper. The anger that spat and bubbled in him was not natural to him, and he no longer wished to give it residency within him. If Mother Talzin could dispel the hate that had eaten his brother's mind, then he certainly could overpower the demons she infested him with. 

Maul kept Savage's attention by occasionally adding excessive force to the items they were exchanging, consisting of various tools, blasters, and even having him use the Force to put his lightsaber back together. Maul watched him duck out of the way and center himself. When an item launched toward him, Maul was easily able to read Savage's emotional state across his face. 

"You have learned well, Savage, despite Dooku's undoubted failure to teach," Maul praised, instructing Savage to sit on the floor across from him, as he did the same. Savage sat on his knees, while Maul crossed his legs. 

"Dooku did not _teach,_ Master. He tortured me for his amusement and told me I was weak," He snarled, fangs peeking from behind his lip.

"Ah," Maul breathed it out, matter-of-factly, yet with a softness that caught Savage off guard. Maul's next words clarified the emotion behind the tone. "I see he takes after our former Master." 

The words were so quiet, Savage thought Maul had said the words in his head and merely mouthed them. Savage's hands clenched on his knees, and his eyes darted down to the flooring right in front of him. He felt a _pull_ on senses, compelling him to jerk his gaze back up to meet Maul's. 

With the sun fully set, and the artificial lighting indoors starting to dim due to lack of movement detected, the hull quickly became dark. Maul's eyes became little golden flecks in the dark, the glow illuminating the high points of his cheeks and casting the rest into the dim shadows. "I saw you watching me meditate," Maul said. Savage nodded, not hesitating to confirm. 

"Yes. Please teach me." he breathed out immediately. Maul's expression did not change, but he nodded. 

"Very well. Rest your mind. Breathe evenly. Do not speak." 

Savage nodded, then to show he had listened, spread out his palms over his knees. He followed up with dropping his shoulders, keeping his eyes on Maul as his gaze went hazy. Savage could tell Maul was no longer seeing him, despite their eye contact being nearly unbroken. He breathed out, then in. All he could do was wait, he supposed. 

As he watched Maul, he found himself focusing on a fact he just learned. Maul's former master had treated him as Dooku had Savage, but Maul was a _child._ He was raised like this. The state Maul had been in still haunted Savage's dreams; he heard the clatter of metallic legs often while trying to sleep. 

The ache in his chest from the weight of the realization caused his breath to hitch. 

_"Breathe,_ Savage," Maul hissed, gaze sharpening quickly. "Surely you can manage that." 

Normally, the snide comment would anger him, and would make Savage feel that red hot spike in his chest. Instead, it seemed to embolden him to _refuse_ to react to his brother's behavior. Maul was raised by an abusive elder, a sadist who promised him a life of legend and power; a being so cruel he literally threw him away. 

Savage breathed out, then in again, zeroing back in on the faint glow of Maul's eyes across the threshold from him. Now aware of just _some_ of what his brother must have suffered through, he realized that Maul was doing everything in his power to engage with him. He _needed_ Savage, but did not know how to interact with anyone, even other members of his species. Savage had been watching Maul all day, how he stared at their kin. He knew Maul _felt_ something about them, but had no context to what it _meant_ that they were here. 

The Nightbrothers were an artificially created sub-species of Zabrak; Savage wondered how many beings here were even aware of that fact. Maul made it clear that they were not very common, even in his travels across the galaxy. Even the other witch clans across Dathomir kept to themselves. Savage assumed many of the Dathomirians here were from other Nightbrother villages than his own, but he had definitely seen many from his home be taken or willingly leave. He blinked, taking in a deeper, sharper breath when he realized he'd been doing quite the opposite of clearing his mind. 

" _Focus,_ Savage," Maul growled lowly, his chest puffing out as his own anger flashed up for a moment before it quelled. Savage straightened his back. 

"I'm sorry, Master, I'm trying," He replied, once again focusing on Maul's lit irises in the growing darkness. He began counting out his breaths, trying to rein in his racing mind. It worked some, and his shoulders sagged fully. 

"Good, _good,"_ Maul praised, "Now try to feel the Force. Sense it. It's all around us." His eyes closed then, casting him fully into the darkness. Savage's eyes closed shortly after, plunging him into the dark, yet he did not feel alone. 

Now fully blocked off, Savage could still sense his brother nearby, his life force a pulsing, familiar comfort. Savage felt strangely more at ease now, feeling as though he and his brother were closer, somehow, than he had been before. Still, he could also tell Maul was still guarded; walls were up all around him, even through the metaphysical senses. 

The meditation was calming, at least. Even with Maul still keeping him at arm's length, Savage felt more at ease when his brother called him back to the real world. He felt more ready to sleep, which he'd been struggling with since his body had changed. He was still adjusting from how he slept back in his village, where groups of Nightbrothers would pile together for warmth. It had long been a tradition to form bonds between them, and conserve space, as they had to accept anyone the Nightsisters brought. This resulted in Savage feeling isolated, though it helped that he could press himself against the wall in his bunk. 

Savage found himself in a surprisingly optimistic mood as he climbed into his bunk, wedging himself tight against the wall with a sigh. He had faith in Maul's plan; he could tell that his brother had already made up his mind, but he was taking it one step at a time. He also felt a strange relief about Maul mentioning the new Force user training alongside him. Perhaps this would be a way to evade being an _apprentice._ Savage found himself uninterested in being a Sith; so far his experience as one had been terrible, to say the least. 

However, there was no way of knowing. Maul was unpredictable, an inward thinker and planner. He had much bigger schemes even beyond this tiny planet with its space port, ideas Savage had no concept of. All he could do was follow, and wait—whatever Maul had planned, Savage would be there to fill whatever role he was needed for. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This beautiful bust of the Force User is by my good friend, Spoons!](https://the-art-block.tumblr.com/post/643773031828897792/studies-in-blue-im-teaching-myself-how-to-work)   
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>  [This one was done by the astounding menemacar!](https://www.instagram.com/menemacar/)   
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> 
> Thank you again for reading <3

**Author's Note:**

> The OC depicted here, my Yam'rii/Huk named Ferro, has a reference image, seen below. He is originally from content I'm making with my partner, but since the Yam'rii/Huk barely have a canon design, I decided to design this Mantis species on a re-design for them, that I think works better for them. I'm aware in canon and Legends they aren't known as mechanics, I just decided to change their lore slightly since Ferro is a mechanic. 
> 
>   
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> 
> [Here's the source of the image. My partner's twitter account is 18+ at times, so be advised and be respectful.](https://twitter.com/bugfuckery/status/1333744438791778305)


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